Chapter : 20 Terrorists

A thick, tense atmosphere enveloped the school, casting shadows across the dimly lit classrooms. Dylan, accompanied by a group of 60 small devil students and a lone lady, huddled in the darkest corner of a locked room, their faces masked by the fear of the unknown.

The teacher, on high alert, felt her heart race, her gaze unwaveringly fixed on the door. Through the narrow gap at the floor's edge, she could discern the unsettling movements of shadows, a sinister presence lurking just beyond.

As if to intensify the already palpable tension, thunderous sounds echoed through the building, reminiscent of a fierce battle waged somewhere nearby.

"I can't activate the teleportation circle," Darian conveyed telepathically to Liridian.

"The energy fluctuations we sensed around the school before are hindering teleportation skills," Liridian explained, his voice echoing with concern.

"How will we escape?" Dylan anxiously inquired.

"Just give me a few minutes; I'll be back," Liridian assured before vanishing into the Almenia.

....

Heartbeats raced, tension mounting, as shadows hinted at an imminent threat outside the door. "Shush," the teacher commanded in a hushed tone, ready for an attack. Surprisingly, the shadows retreated momentarily, bringing a momentary sense of relief as the collective heartbeats slowed.

However, the tranquility was shattered by a resounding "Boom!" The door burst open, revealing three confident devils—two males and one female. "So, this is where the rest of the kids were hiding," remarked one of the males, a man in his thirties with an average appearance, brown hair, and a robust face adorned with a small spiky mustache.

The teacher, fierce and protective, hissed with anger, positioning herself as a shield between the intruders and the children. "Don't you dare touch the kids."

A second male devil, with a clean face and black spiky hair, intervened calmly, "Lady, do you really want to fight? You can barely be considered high class. Plus, don't you think the children will get hurt if we fight?"

Caught in a dilemma, the teacher glanced at the small children and then back at the intruders. Deep down, she knew the truth in their words—she couldn't risk fighting with the children behind her, especially with the formidable black-haired devil exuding a demonic energy stronger than her own.

"Hearing your words suggests you don't want to harm children. Then why are you attacking the school?" the lady teacher inquired, her voice a mix of defiance and curiosity.

The black-haired devil's response came with a slight smile, "Yes, I said hurting them will cause pain, but our goal is to kill them, not just inflict pain."

Infuriated, the teacher burst forth, conjuring a massive flame ball aimed at the intruders. As the surroundings became enveloped in smoke, anticipation hung in the air. When the smoke slowly cleared, a green-violet barrier surrounded the attackers. However, to the teacher's astonishment, the female devil was not inside the protective barrier.

Realization struck too late as the female devil seized the opportunity, attacking from behind during the smokescreen. The teacher found herself on her knees, hands bound by magical chains, robbed of her ability to wield magic. The unexpected turn left the room in tense silence, broken only by the subdued sounds of the ongoing chaos outside.

Few minutes later..

The teacher remained on the floor, bound and gagged, her desperate struggles only adding to the tension in the room.

The female devil, with a blossomed figure, callously squeezed the cheeks of a terrified child, relishing in their vulnerability. Among the captives, a blonde-haired boy deep in thought emerged, contemplating the situation with an unsettling smile. "That woman looks good; maybe I should add her to my peerage," Riser mused, his thoughts veering into the bizarre.

As Riser abruptly stood up, drawing the attention of the intruders, he confidently introduced himself, "Hello, I am Riser Phenex, the youngest son of the Riser clan. So you can't mess with me, but I'm here to make a deal. Let us go back safely to our home, and I'm willing to add this lady to my peerage as compensation." he proposed, exuding an unwavering assurance of the biggest deal.

The lady devil responded, revealing Riser's unexpected fame, "So, you are Riser Phenex. We were actually searching for you. You're the second priority of our mission."

Riser, maintaining his smirk, quipped, "I didn't know I was also famous among terrorists." However, his demeanor shifted abruptly as he heard her next words.

"Riser Phenex, you're the second on our killing list. We need to eliminate you to successfully complete our mission," she declared, shattering Riser's confidence as the gravity of the situation sank in. The room hung in suspense, the atmosphere charged with uncertainty and impending danger.

In frozen stillness, Riser stood like a statue, while Dylan observed the scene with a solemn expression, anticipating Liridian's arrival. Suddenly, a hand gently rested on Dylan's shoulder, and he turned to see a crimson hair girl reflecting a sense of terrified and nervous.

"Don't worry, I will protect you," Rias assured with a reassuring smile, masking her underlying fear.

Above Dylan, Liridian materialized, floating in the air. "I've made the magic circle for our escape," he announced, his words accompanied by a display of numbers in a digital dance. Reflected in Dylan's cornea, the numbers swirled and converged, forming a intricate magic circle, a portal to an unknown destination.

"This magic circle is impervious to external interference in teleportation magic," Liridian confidently stated.

Suddenly, the intrusive voice of one of the assailants reverberated, "It seems we've stumbled upon our top priority—the sister of Sirzechs Lucifer."

At the mention of Sirzechs Lucifer, Dylan's attention shifted towards the intruder's devil. Following his gaze, he realized the gravity of the situation. "Don't tell me this girl is Sirzechs's sister," Dylan uttered, his eyes fixed on the visibly terrified Rias.

"Wait, Sirzechs's sister? Does that mean Zeoticus's daughter?" Dylan contemplated, a shocked expression etched across his face.

To be continued..

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